Molecular detection of respiratory pathogens in isolates from two hospitals in Egypt using a microarray chip

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are prevalent communicable diseases, with bacteria being major causes of severe illness and mortality.
• Accurate and rapid identification of bacterial pathogens is crucial for effective treatment and public health management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and geographical distribution of bacterial pathogens causing RTIs in two different hospital settings.
• To evaluate the efficacy of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA chip technology for rapid pathogen identification.

Main Methods:

• Samples were collected from 32 patients with RTIs and 5 controls from Mansoura Lung Diseases Hospital and Kafr El-Sheikh General Diseases Hospital.
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was employed to detect specific bacterial DNA.
• DNA chip technology was used for pathogen identification and results were compared with PCR.

Main Results:

• PCR detected *Hemophilus influenzae* (2 samples), *Klebsiella pneumoniae* (7 samples), and *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* (7 samples) in Mansoura.
• *Klebsiella pneumoniae* (8 isolates) and *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* (8 isolates) were identified in Kafr El-Sheikh.
• Mixed infections were common, and DNA chip results showed 100% concordance with PCR, enabling rapid identification.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial pathogens causing RTIs exhibit geographical variation between the studied hospitals.
• PCR and DNA chip technologies offer a rapid and accurate method for identifying respiratory pathogens, including in mixed infections.
• These findings support the use of molecular methods for timely diagnosis and management of RTIs.